The College of Physicians of Philadelphia elects first nurse practitioner

PHILADELPHIA — The Fellowship of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia on Friday elected the first nurse practitioner to its ranks: Sandra Ryan, Walgreens' Take Care Health Systems chief nurse practitioner officer and clinical advocate.

“Through [Ryan's] leadership, she has demonstrated commitment to enhancing the role that nursing can play in the future of health care,” stated George Wohlreich, director and CEO and the Thomas W. Langfitt Chair. “Through her dedication and advocacy, she’s benefitted nurses and nurse practitioners by opening doors to new opportunities, helped to reinforce the value of a collaborative healthcare team to take care of a patient and increased access for patients to receive high-quality, convenient health care.”

One-of-6 founding officers of Take Care Health Systems and a founding board member of the Convenient Care Association, Ryan was the first chief nurse practitioner officer in the convenient care industry. She has paved the way for the nursing profession and nursing leadership within the evolving and growing industry. Ryan has helped develop and implement clinical standards and evidenced-based guidelines delivered by operators in this retail-based setting.

Within Take Care Health Systems, she is credited with implementing a companywide quality assurance program, ensuring consistency in quality care through the establishment of standard operating procedures using nationally recognized evidence-based guidelines. In addition, she’s helped to lead the development of a proprietary electronic medical record system used at Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens nationwide.

Ryan has been the recipient of the American College of Nurse Practitioners’ Nancy Sharp Cutting Edge award and the Retail Clinician Congress’ CARE Leadership Award for her contributions to nurse practitioner practice in the convenient care industry.

Ryan has more than 25 years of healthcare and leadership experience and is a decorated U.S. Air Force officer. Ryan earned a B.S.N. in nursing from Niagara University and a M.S.N. from Arizona State University. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and an executive nurse fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The College was founded in 1787 by a group of physicians including Benjamin Rush and is the nation’s oldest medical society dedicated to advancing the cause of health while upholding the ideals and heritage of medicine, the college stated.

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